


Study Break

by BrighteyedJill



Category: Heroes - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-16
Updated: 2009-11-16
Packaged: 2017-10-03 00:54:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrighteyedJill/pseuds/BrighteyedJill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nathan Petrelli is home from college for his fall break, and he has a paper to finish.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Study Break

Nathan sighed and put down his pen to give his cramped fingers a rest. The last night of fall break was supposed to be about spending quality time with his family, but instead he found himself sequestered in his room desperately churning out the paper due for his class Monday morning. Implications of American microeconomic traditions were the last things Nathan wanted to be worrying about right now.

 

The door creaked, and Nathan heaved a resigned sigh. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was, but he looked anyway, and there stood Peter, reaching up to the doorknob, his wide eyes wet with unshed tears.

 

During after-dinner drinks, when Nathan had pleaded his case about homework, Dad had said, "School comes first, son," and sent him upstairs with a firm clap on the back.

 

Ma had said, "Don't stay up too late," then given his shoulder a squeeze and whispered, "I'm so proud of you."

 

The nanny had been keeping Peter conveniently out of the grown-ups' hair, so Nathan hadn't had to deal with the wide-eyed accusation and inevitable silent treatment that would accompany Nathan's departure from the evening's events. He should have known he wouldn't escape so easily.

 

Peter softly closed the door behind him, and solemnly closed the distance between himself and the desk, the feet of his footy pajamas silent on the soft carpet. He stood looking up at Nathan, and said, "It's your last night."

 

"You should be in bed, Pete," Nathan said, trying to sound firm.

 

"You're leaving tomorrow," Peter said, and Nathan could see him trembling with the effort of not crying. "And I won't see you again until Christmas, and you didn't say goodbye to me."

 

"Aw Peter," Nathan said. He shook his head and, with great effort, turned back to his desk. "I would have said goodbye."

 

Peter put his arms up, demandingly.

 

"You're getting too big," Nathan said, but he lifted Peter into his lap anyway. Peter clung to him like a baby monkey, and Nathan carded a hand through his hair, resigned to the fact that any kind of homework, any kind of work at all, would always take a back seat to his brother.

 

"Story," said Peter, muffled into Nathan's shoulder.

 

"Okay," said Nathan. He didn't even glance back at his paper as he carried Peter back to his room. Suddenly, finishing the assignment held no appeal at all. "Just until you fall asleep," he said, but he wasn't fooling himself. He would stay as long as Peter wanted him, just like always.


End file.
